The present invention relates to installations for the distribution and storage of gas cylinders accessible directly by a user/consumer, of the type comprising at least one enclosure provided with controlled access means enclosing recesses or seats for the reception of cylinders.
Installations of this type are described in WO-A-98/27380, WO-A-99/00755 and EP-A-994432, in the name of the assignee.
The known installations involve devices for sequentially individually blocking the cylinders and/or detection or analysis systems for the presence of cylinders that are complicated and fragile.
The present invention has for its object to provide an automated installation, simplified and secured, for a low cost of capital and operation.
To do this, according to one characteristic of the invention, the space comprises at least a pair of parallel racks each comprising at least one series of seats opening respectively in first and second opposite directions, and at least one pair of cameras oriented respectively in the first and second directions so that each can take views of the seats opening toward them.
According to other characteristics of the invention:
the installation comprises at least one pair of adjacent spaces each comprising an access door with controlled opening, the two doors of the pair of spaces being under the control of a common user identification station.
each door is moreover placed under the control of an associate admission reader;